The MicroPOW project

CONTEXT AND MAIN ISSUES

Today, microplastics (< 5 mm) represent a major threat to both terrestrial and marine wildlife. Invisible to the naked eye, they penetrate deep into organisms, accumulate in tissues and can even cross cell barriers.

While pollution by macroplastics has been documented for several decades, microplastics have only recently been recognized as a ubiquitous and potentially pathogenic hazard. Their ability to infiltrate all levels of living organisms raises serious concerns about their effects on the health of ecosystems… and humans.

GOALS

Determine the impact of microplastic ingestion on the organs, tissues and cells of seabirds in Australia.

METHOD

The MicroPOW project is based on a transdisciplinary approach combining cell biology, biomedicine and conservation ecology. It studies the biological effects of microplastics at different scales, from the cell to the whole organism.

Two species of shearwater from Lord Howe Island (Australia) are used as models: shearwaters heavily exposed to microplastics are compared with much less contaminated individuals. This comparison enables the precise identification of cellular, tissue and organ alterations linked to plastic ingestion. As physiological responses are largely shared between vertebrates, the results can be extrapolated to humans.

HOW IS THIS PROJECT INNOVATIVE?

MicroPOW is one of the very first projects to demonstrate the direct pathological effects of microplastics on a cellular scale in wild animals. By combining tools from biomedical research with field ecology, it establishes an unprecedented link between plastic pollution, cellular mechanisms and the health of living organisms, paving the way for a better understanding of the risks to biodiversity and human health.